Teaching a GSD to Hunt? - Page 2

Apparently I take too long to type. That last post was in regards to the first two.

4 mals2sheps, and Kevin Nance - thank you both for your input.

For those of you that have done it, what kind of equipment do you use and where do you get it? (to train I mean).

I need to talk to my buddy again, to see what he thinks about everything thus far. Either way, I have a feeling if we do go through with this type of training, it will be a team effort between the two of us, LOL.

ETA - I will pm you now, thanks.

Chuck Eisenman taught several of the Hobo dogs to hunt and retrieve. This breed can learn to do just about ANYTHING!

I say sure. Like you said, she won't be winning a whole bunch, but I bet you can get her to where she wouldn't be an embarrassment. She will go through anything or over anything as far as terrain goes, and once she's clear on what you want from her, she'll do it, even if it's not what comes "naturally" to her. Tracking won't be a problem. The problem will be with the retrieving/soft mouth details. 

I'll agree that GSDs can hunt within limitations, just as possibly any tasks set before them. And I would think the possibility is there to make a GSD a true hunting dog. But my thoughts are once you take that route you can't take the other. That's all.

Steph reiterated my experience exactly. We always knew before the dog was about to flush a bird. The "softer" mouth to retrieve live birds was largely a genetic component. Our male was confident, serious, and solid in nerve guarding everything on our property including the chickens. He was gentle by nature unless circumstances dictated otherwise when he would demonstrate is lineage and transition appropriately. Our female was a prey monster, the chickens were never safe when we were not present and any bird she "retrieved" would be DEAD on arrival. Still fun but less "showing off" with her among my more serious hunter friends who always were impressed with our males best "imitation" of being a bird dog. Kevin Nance

Many years ago there was a GSD magazine in northern Cal. that had a good artical about friends.  The man with a Lab wanted to train him to fetch birds and asked the GSD owner to train his dog too.  So they did.  The GSD learned to fetch the dummy bird with a soft mouth and as to water, they have canals.  The shepherd ended launching himself out into the water to fetch the dummy, the lab would wade into the water.  The article was much more interesting, but you get the drift. I don't remember them actually hunting,  but why not?  By the way, there are lots of GSDs out there that are not "bite work lines" but American lines that would only bite a burgler.  Or herd sheep, no bites alowed there except to make one go where you want, when it won't.  Have fun.

I don't think Dawulf's dog is enough of a prey monster that they would be DOA. She may have to be taught not to shake them, etc., but if the request was clearly "bring" I think "bring" is what she would get. The clearer the direction, built upon what she already knows, the faster the glitches can be worked out. 

Thanks for replying everyone. :)

I'll forward the info/advice I've gotten to my friend and see where we'll go from there... we'll see what happens, I guess.